EVDS Alumna Michelle Reid Leads Central Memorial Park Revamp

By Vanessa Ferreira

Always passionate about heritage and cultural landscape, Environmental Design alumna Michelle Reid is leading the City of Calgary’s project to redevelop and rehabilitate Calgary’s oldest surviving park, Central Memorial Park.

While the project aims to maintain and celebrate the historical significance of Central Memorial Park, Michelle, MEDes’06, stresses the importance of acknowledging the current needs of Calgarians.

“Our goal is to maintain the historical and cultural aspects of the site while incorporating contemporary elements,” says Michelle, Conservation Landscape Architect and Project Manager. “Central Memorial Park has been an intellectual and social centre for decades. It is very important to understand and preserve this historical meaning but the park can’t be frozen in history. It has to reflect the needs and wants of contemporary citizens.”

The project, scheduled to be completed this summer, will rehabilitate historical elements such as the symmetrical and geometric garden beds, the 1912 Carnegie library, and the cenotaph plaza, flagpole and commemorative monuments. The revamped park will feature several contemporary elements such as the Garden Café, outdoor reading rooms and areas to accommodate festival events.

“A big part of the project involves increasing the park’s use and improving site safety with illuminated fountains, onsite staff, better lighting and the closure of the park’s driving lane,” says Michelle. “We really want Central Memorial Park to be a vibrant and meaningful part of Calgary.”

Central Memorial Park is located in the Beltline community of Calgary, an area that lacks green and open spaces. Dissatisfied with the current conditions of the park and the lack of recreational spaces, in 2004, Community Associations and members of the Business Revitalization Zones in the area proposed the redevelopment project to city council which resulted in the council’s commitment to invest in revamping this important landmark.

“The residents of the Beltline community recognize the historical importance of Central Memorial Park,” says Michelle. “People want more and higher-quality green spaces; we get a lot of support from the residents of this area.”

Michelle Reid has worked for the City of Calgary as a Conservation Landscape Architect since graduation in 2006; she attributes her success to a great learning experience provided by the Faculty of Environmental Design.

“The flexibility within the program allows students to focus in their specific areas of interest which helps to prepare them to a real career,” says Michelle. “EVDS faculty members really tailor courses and instruction to students’ specific interests and areas of focus.”

“EVDS Professors went out of their way to ensure students’ needs were being met, which is really why my experience was so great.”